Moving Up

Serena fiddles nervously with the log recorder to ensure its proper operation...

She sighs in relief before sitting down.

Finally. It's so nice to have some downtime, which has become a scarce resource since I left the University. Since then, I have been serving the Federation as a member of the Federal Defence Union. My superiors seem to be pleased with my efforts, as I received word today that I've been promoted to the rank of Guardian Lieutenant.

She pauses.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel. While it is a basic truth that the Federation merely seeks to defend itself from outside aggression, I still don't understand why we face these threats to begin with... which is another way of saying I don't understand why I'm strapping into my ship and putting myself in harm's way. At the University of Caille, we studied a steady stream of cold facts -- ship operation, fitting modules, methods of self-defense. But we never delved too deeply into the complexities of politics and ethics.

A promotion...

Serena runs her finger across the shiny new symbol on her jacket. She sighs lightly.

...it's a good thing, to defend one's own people, I guess. I trust the direction in which my superiors have pointed me. And the safety and security of a non-aggressive people are worth defending. I've run into several pilots so far who are filled with so much hostility, so little tolerance. In particular, the Amarr, the Caldari -- some of them detest me and my people solely due to the fact that we were raised under the banner of the Federation.

Her finger finally lifts from her new symbol, and she sits silently for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. Suddenly she glances back at the camera on the log recorder and stands.

Speaking of how scarce downtime is... I'm supposed to be running an operation for the Federal Defence Union in about twenty minutes. Some of our people have been taken captive by the lawless pirates working for the Serpentis Corporation, and there will be a brief window of opportunity to rescue them from some unthinkable fate. I know that much is worth fighting for.

Log terminated.